The Gift of a Good Day
Have you ever had one of those days when nothing felt…wrong? When you woke up on time, said the right thing to your boss, remembered to meditate in the morning, were thoughtful interacting with your loved ones, remembered to drink enough water, and were feeling present in your life, and maybe even happy?
Did it scare you?
Often, when we have a day where things are moving along as they should, when we’re remembering and using our coping skills, when we’re being present and engaged and there aren’t any big obstacles or hiccups (or, at least it feels like there aren’t—more on that later), the moment we realize how well things are going, that old familiar anxiety starts to sidle up beside us.
“What do you think you’re doing, feeling so content and capable? It won’t last, you know!”
The moment that thought creeps in, we start looking for ways to get out of the discomfort of feeling ok. But what if there was a different story to tell ourselves about these “good” days? What if your good days are practice for the bad ones?
Try to think back to the last day you can remember where things went pretty well, where you felt on top of things and the day didn’t feel like a disaster. Now, I challenge you to remember if literally NOTHING frustrating or difficult or challenging happened that day. I’ll be surprised if you can’t think of a single thing that happened on that good day that, on a different day, when maybe you’re coping skills and mindset weren’t as readily accessible, could have felt like an absolute life-ruiner. But still, your day was good! What was the difference? Perhaps moments and situations that could feel like obstacles felt less problematic, less like problems, because you were using your coping skills, practicing self care, feeling compassionate toward yourself and others, checking in with your needs, or focusing on what was within your power to do or say (or not do or say).
In many ways, the difference between good and bad days is us. Of course there are times in life when difficulties arise, obstacles appear that throw us off course, scare us, or frustrate us, but the more we allow ourselves to acknowledge and embrace the days when we’re ok and view “good” days as practice for the hard days, the more prepared we are when those tough moments come.
Each day is a new chance to practice the things we know work to help us to feel ok. What a gift! So next time you notice that your doing alright, and maybe even feeling great, remind yourself that you’re getting wonderful practice for handling what life may toss your way in the future. Something will come, it always does, but each “good” day leaves you more prepared to face the next bump in the road.
What things do you do that lead to a “good” day? Share in the comments!
(Note: the information provided here or in the comments below is for informative purposes only and does not constitute psychological treatment or care. If you are experiencing a crisis or are in danger, call 911 or go to your nearest emergency room.)